


Probably Just the Wind

by random_chaotic_cat



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Badly Written Smut, Bros that Kiss, Fafnir Joins the Battle, Fafnir is good Bro, Hop and Leon's last name is Dande, Hop deserves better, Hop is the forgotten child, I Tried, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kind of!, M/M, Mrs. Dande's A+ Parenting, Panic Attacks, Raihan lives in the castle, Sibling Incest, Smut, Song fic!, You Have Been Warned, fight me, not really - Freeform, poor baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:22:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22679407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/random_chaotic_cat/pseuds/random_chaotic_cat
Summary: Raihan was letting Hop and his mom stay in the castle while they look for a place in Wyndon, to save them the long commute back and forth to Potswick. Everything was fine, the Dande's were quiet and polite, even bringing cookies whenever they passed the stadium on the way to the train station! So why does Raihan get an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach when he hears glass shattering one night?Inspired by Must Have Been The Wind by Alec Benjamin. Go listen to it, it's great.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Hop, Hop/Kibana | Raihan, Impiled Leon/Raihan, Kibana | Raihan/Original Male Character(s), Original Male Character(s)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 42
Kudos: 162





	1. Your ears are just messin with ya!

It’d been about a week since Raihan had helped Leon’s mom and kid brother move into the living area above his. The gym leader before him had had this _massive_ family, and Raihan had always felt bad about living alone in such a big… well, castle. Sure, it let him let his pokemon roam about however they wanted, but it was also kinda lonely. So when Leon had asked if his family could stay while they looked for a place in Wyndon, Raihan had happily agreed. Mrs. Dande had assured him that they would only be a month or two at most, and that Hop wouldn’t cause him any trouble. Raihan had joked that trouble seemed to follow the kid, and he didn’t mind. Funnily enough, he hadn’t seen much of Hop since they moved in. Not that, Raihan had been looking forward to that or anything. That would be weird. But, true to her word the two hadn’t cause him any issues, Mrs. Dande even dropping off cookies every time she came through the stadium

Now, laying awake at sometime past eleven in the evening, startled out of his light doze by the sound of glass breaking somewhere above him, he was immediately concerned. He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he strained his ears, about to shrug it off as some half dream when he didn’t hear anything else. Just as the dragon tamer laid back down, he heard it. The sound of someone crying, crying and trying to muffle it. It… It sounded like Hop. Raihan rolled out of bed and tossed on an old shirt, making his way out of his apartment to the stairs that would take him to the next floor. He knocked on their door lightly, worriedly shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Hop answered the door, still fully dressed and frowning as he peered up at Raihan, “Raihan? Everything okay?”

“That’s what I came to ask. I thought I heard glass shattering, is everything okay?” Raihan tilted his head, concern painting his features as he looked down at the younger trainer. Hop looked tired, and frighteningly small, his jacket zipped up all the way, fur just barely touching his chin.

“Ah, think your ears might be messin’ with ya mate!” Hop smiled, grin as bright as Leon’s and causing the same Butterfrees to flutter around in Raihan’s stomach, “Thanks for comin’ to check up on us, it’s really nice of you to worry but everything’s fine!”

“You sure? I… Thought I heard…. Crying.” Raihan watched Hop closely, noticing how his smile faltered a bit and something like fear flashed through his eyes. It was gone before he could really make sure.

“I wish I could tell ya what it was, but I didn’t hear anything. Must have been the wind, or a pokemon.” Hop shrugged, smile back in place. The Butterfrees in Raihan’s stomach had stilled, he knew this smile was fake now. “It’s real late though, I gotta get to bed. Night Raihan.”

“Ah… Yeah, sorry. Night.” Raihan raised his hand in a small wave, cheeks warming at the way Hop’s smile softened before he closed the door. Raihan turned away and went back to his own apartment, a dreadful feeling that he had just messed up as he sat on his couch and put his head in his hands. 

Should he tell Leon? No, he didn’t have all the facts, he shouldn’t really intrude on their family like that, making wild accusations over something he _thought_ he heard and Hop didn’t confirm. The dragon tamer supposed he really could have just been mistaken, he had almost been asleep after all… But the way Hop acted set him on edge. Raihan’s hands clenched into fists and he nodded to himself. As soon as he could, he’d catch Hop alone and ask, make sure everything was okay. That he was _wrong_ and not every family was like his, and people actually cared about their fucking kids. Raihan had met Mrs. Dande at various League events, there to support her son, and he didn’t seem like the type of person who would-

No. Raihan knew that the worst of monsters had the best masks. He’d talk to Hop, and hope to Arceus and all the Legendaries in existence that he was wrong, he couldn't bear the thought of sweet little Hop in such an awful situation.


	2. If You Need Someone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raihan tells Hop something he wished someone had told him.

Raihan couldn’t sleep worth shit for the next few days, always straining his ears in fear of missing anything happening to Hop. His dragons ended up taking notice of his distress, Flygon and Goodra especially. He’d had them the longest, they knew him better than any human. The gym leader stared up at his ceiling, praying to Arceus that the sweet boy above him was safe. 

It was a week later that Raihan heard the first of the screaming, yelling. He had called it quits with his training earlier than usual, as he was unable to focus and his trainers were beginning to take notice. Upon flopping onto his couch, he heard it.

“Stupid, worthless litte- Why can’t you do anything _right?!_ ” Mrs. Dande’s voice was shill and hateful in a way that was too familiar, yet Raihan knew he had never heard it from this particular parent, “Just a few fucking chores, that’s all I ask! I spend all my time taking care of your ungrateful ass, it’s the least you can do, but _no._ You’re too busy with looking over the stupid papers Magnolia’s graddaughter gave you!”

There was a pause, Raihan heard Hop’s voice but unlike his mother the boy wasn't shouting at the top of his lungs, so Raihan couldn’t make out his words. He heard what came next though. The sound of a something large hitting the floor, followed by Mrs. Dande’s shouting again.

“You. Useless. Brat!” Each word was punctuated by the sound of something hitting the floor, “You fucking cunt! You don’t know _anything_ , why can’t you be like-” She stopped, Raihan could hear her talking, then footsteps and finally a door opening and closing.

Raihan let out a shaky breath, noticing that he’d clenched his hands at one point, his nails pressing crescent shaped indents into his palms. He raised them and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes, trembling with rage. If only she’d leave Hop alone for a _day_ , Raihan could-

Crying. He could hear crying from their apartment. Raihan didn’t think he’d ever moved faster, running out of his apartment and taking the stairs two at a time. By the time he was fully aware he’d even moved, he was already at their door, knocking as lightly as he could.

It took longer than before, but just like last time Hop opened the door, jacket zipped up to his chin. The golden eyed boy inhaled sharply as he took in the sight before him, “R-Raihan?”

“I heard you crying.” Raihan barely recognized his own voice, soft and fragile, a seething anger just below the surface. Arceus, he hoped Hop didn’t notice that last bit. The last thing Raihan wanted was for Hop to think Raihan was angry with _him_.

“Ahaha, I think all those sandstorms have your ears clogged, mate.” Hop’s laugh was _almost_ convincing, if Raihan hadn’t heard ones just like it before. The slight tremor it held, the desperation to hide everything. The fucking _shame_ of thinking it was your fault… Raihan’s eyes narrowed just the slightest bit as Hop kept talking, “Must be playin’ tricks on you again.”

“I heard other things too. Sounded like something hit the floor hard. Are you okay, Hop?” Raihan shoved his hands into the pocket of his hoodie to stop himself from reaching out to the smaller boy. Hop just smiled up at him, his eyes soft in a way Raihan had thought was reserved for Leon.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just like I always am. Thanks for caring, Raihan, it really is super sweet of ya! I wish we could talk some more, but I have some chores I gotta finish up while Mum goes to look at another house.” Hop’s voice quivered when he brought up his mother, and he took a deep breath before continuing, “Wish I could help ya with whatever it is you’re hearin, but I haven’t heard anything like that. Must have been a pokemon or something.”

“...Yeah, or something.” Raihan sighed, talking his hands out of his pocket and pulling Hop into a gentle hug.

“R-Raihan?!” Hop squeaked, tensing up in Raihan’s arms, “This um, S-Some kind of joke or-”

“No jokes.” Raihan whispered, ignoring his pounding heart, “If... If you ever need a place to stay for a bit, even just an hour or two… My door’s open for ya, if you ever need a friend. We can talk about whatever it is I’ve been hearing, whenever you’re ready. Till then… Must of just been the wind.”

Hop was trembling in Raihan’s arms, and the dragon tamer was about to let go, before he felt thin arms wrap around him, clutching his hoodie tightly.

“Thank you. I’ll h-have to take you up on that sometime.” Hop drew back with watery eyes and a sad little smile, effectively shattering Raihan’s heart into tiny pieces, “See you.”

“Yeah. See you.” Raihan whispered as the door closed, taking a moment to rest his head against the wood. He was so many levels of screwed, and he had no idea how to fix anything. Strongest gym leader his ass. “Whenever you need me, I’ll come running. You can lean on me, Hop. I promise.”

The only answer he got was a small ‘thunk’ against the door, accompanied by quiet sniffles.

“...It’s not your fault, sweet boy.” Raihan waited a moment, hearing footsteps recede deeper into the apartment before turning away with a heavy sigh. He didn’t have proof, and Hop wasn’t ready to come out and stand against his mother. Raihan didn’t blame him, that shit was more terrifying than any raid battle, especially when you didn’t have anyone in your corner… Raihan shook his head and headed back to his apartment, pulling out his phone the second he closed his door. Fuck having proof, Leon needed to know about this. Raihan refused to believe Leon would leave his little brother in an unsafe environment, not with the way the former champ always talked about him. If anyone could help Raihan save Hop, it had to be Leon. They had to. Before things got any worse.


	3. Just How Things Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hop was fine. This is how things are meant to be.

Hop was fine. Things weren't that bad, really, he didn't know why Raihan was so concerned. His mum was just stressed out, not to mention disappointed about his epic failure in the semi-finals. Everything would be normal again once they found somewhere to live, and his grandparents would join them and they'd be able to see Lee so much more often!

Sure he was sad to be leaving his childhood home, and he was going to be really far from the lab and his friends and… and everything he'd grown up with and loved, but it was fine! He could see Lee and challenge the Battle Tower and… And they'd all be happy. Yeah. That's what mattered, that his family was happy. Who cares if he was  _ fucking miserable _ .

He shook his head harshly to shake off the thought, only to wince and stumble when the action made him dizzy. Hop sighed and sat down against the wall, raising a hand to gently poke at the tender spot on his head. He frowned and grimaced as he felt the giant knot that was forming. He'd really hit the ground hard earlier… It wasn't his mum's fault, she hadn't meant to make him fall, just put some distance between them, and she had only needed to do that because he'd gotten in her face and talked back.

_ You had been standing a good five feet away, you were no where near in her face. _ A voice in the back of his head, one that sounded suspiciously like Victor, snarled.

Mum would apologize when she calmed down. She always did. She didn't mean it. He was her  _ son _ , she loved him just like she did Lee. So what if she and his grandparents forgot he was home sometimes? So what if they left him home alone to go get dinner sometimes, or surprise Lee in Wyndon? They were so used to him running all over Galar and being at the lab, it didn't cross their minds. It was fine.  _ Hop _ was fine. It wasn't like he was being abused-

_ She shoved you. Made you fall and slammed your head on the floor! _

There are other kids that get a lot worse. Hop never had to go around covered in bruises, he wasn't starved or anything. And besides, she didn't mean it. She didn't mean to compare him to Leon, to say those things. She's just stressed. That's all. Mum didn't mean it, Victor was wrong. Mum cared. She loved him, she-

Who was he kidding? Hop sniffled, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in them, shaking as big fat tears started rolling down his face.  _ No one _ loved him. No one cared. Not mum, or his grandparents or- Not even Lee. Not really. Hop was too much of a stupid  **_fucking failure._ ** It was all his fault-

_ "It's not your fault, sweet boy."  _ Raihan had whispered, probably thinking that Hop was already too far to hear. But he had. He'd heard and it… It helped. It was a giant lie, because it  _ had _ to be Hop's fault, he was the only problem in the family. He was probably why Lee didn't visit them much, didn't want his annoying,  **_weak_ ** little brother bugging the shit out of him. Ruining his family.  **_Dragging him down like he'd done during the gym challenge. Why couldn’t he just do the things everyone expected him to do?! Useless, worthless, stupid!_ **

Hop choked on a sob, biting his lip harshly and he stood on shaking legs, he couldn't waste time being such a fucking baby. He… didn't want to think about what would happen if the chores weren't done when his mum got home.

He was halfway through his list of things to do when he heard the door open. Hop tensed, his body trembling with fear. She was back sooner than he thought, and he wasn’t done with everything he needed to do! She was going to be so mad, she was going to-

“Hoppy? You here kiddo?” Lee’s voice called out, and Hop immediately relaxed. Nothing too bad ever happened with Lee around, so long as Hop acted how he was supposed to, the hero worshipping little brother everyone expected.

“I’m finishing up the dishes.” Hop called back, unable to bring himself to go meet his beloved brother. Leon would probably hate him if he ever found out just how much of a cockup Hop was, if he didn’t already… Hop had really done a number on Lee’s reputation, not making it past the semi-finals and taking so long to get through the gym challenge in general. It's one of the reasons mum had been so upset lately, that and Hop was just an unwanted screwup anyway. No matter how hard he tried. he just wasn't good enough. Hop wasn't Leon. He smiled the same, talked the same, tried laughing the same, but Hop was still Hop and Hop wasn't someone anyone wanted. Not how he really was. That was fine, though, he’d taught himself to let go a long time ago.

"Hey sweetheart." Leon wrapped his arms around Hop from behind, nuzzling the smaller boys neck, "I've missed you."

"Missed you too Lee.” Hop leaned against him, closing his eyes and smiling softly at the warmth, like he was supposed to. Leon knew two Hops, the devoted baby brother whenever Mum was around, and the shy lover when she wasn’t. It’s what Leon wanted, what Leon liked, what he expected. Hop always did what everyone expected, otherwise… Otherwise who would want him around? He didn’t know if he loved Leon like he said he did, but he didn’t mind the affection, the kind touches. So he’d be Leon’s lover, his sweet baby brother, even when he knew… He knew that Leon would drop him if he ever saw who his baby brother really was; a talentless coward who would rather study pokemon than train them. “Mum’s not with you?”

“Hm? No, meeting with the real estate people. I told her I would come grab you and we could go to dinner!” Leon smiled, bright and blinding. Hop smiled back, feeling almost like he was looking into some kind of funhouse mirror. He shook it off, he taught himself how to let go of things like that a longtime ago. “She told me you weren’t feeling well though… Is everything okay?”

Hop chuckled and shifted so he could turn and wrap his arms around Leon, having carefully dried off his hands first, and buried his faced into his brother’s chest, “M’okay, just a headache.”

“My poor baby boy…” Leon kissed the top of Hop’s head, “Have you taken any medicine?”

“Yeah, it’s mostly gone now.” Hop felt his face heat up a bit, so he hid in Leon’s chest again, “I gotta finish my chores though…”

“You sure?” Leon cupped his cheek and gently forced Hop to meet his eyes. 

Hop smiled and leaned into his hand, “Of course Lee.When have I ever lied to you?”

“Fair point.” Leon chuckled and kissed the corner of Hop’s mouth, “Think you’ll be done in an hour or two?”

Hop tilted his head in thought for a moment before nodding, “Yeah, probably.”

“Okay, well I have a few things I need to talk to Rai about so I’ll be back soon, okay sweetheart?” Leon kissed his head again, not waiting for Hop’s reply before leaving. Hop didn’t think Leon noticed the way his voice had dripped with fondness when he mentioned the dragon tamer. 

Hop sighed heavily, shaking his head at the actions of his older brother… Always caught up in his own. But, it was his right, Hop supposed, even if he was no longer the Champion, Leon was sill a very successful man. Hop would always be put on the backburner, no matter how hard he tried to be exactly like everyone wanted it would never be good enough, because he’d always still be Hop… Even if he didn’t really remember who that was anymore. He’d sacrificed everything he knew, everything he liked, to become someone he had hoped people would love, but it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t enough, and everyday he faded away a little more. 

Hop pressed his palms against his eyes, taking a few deep breaths and calming the pain he felt stabbing in his chest. He never wanted to play pretend, tried to stay within the reality of his life. He’d learned to cope with being nothing more than a kid stuck in Leon’s shadow when he was young, he’d learned to stop hoping to be anything more… Hop had always known that Leon was too busy to be anything more that Champion, he had no time to be Hop’s brother, to love and care for him like Hop had seen other siblings do, especially since Hop was undeserving of such love. Hop played his part as best as he could, but it would never be enough. Mum would still hate him, and Leon would only love him so long as Hop pretended to be exactly what Leon wanted… Or until he finally noticed that he was in love with Raihan.

That was okay. Hop was okay. Everything was fine. Because even if Hop broke and shattered, the only person who would get cut into pieces was himself, and that was for the best. It was Hop’s fault he hadn’t turned out the way his mum had hoped, it was his own fault that he wasn’t good enough.

_ “It’s not your fault.” _ Raihan’s words ran through his head as he returned to doing his chores. Hop smiled sadly, poor Raihan. He didn’t realize how much of a waste of space Hop was, but he’d see it eventually, and then he would leave Hop too.

Hop would always be alone, unloved, unwanted. He didn’t deserve anything different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhh... This took a while to write, and im sorry if it's a bit... Off, my head was in about ten different weird spaces and i couldn't get it quite how I wanted so this is the best i got.  
> Sorry not sorry about hurting Hop tho, he's fun to hurt.


	4. I need you to trust me, please.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rai talks to Leon. TW for panic attacks.

Raihan tapped his heel against the ground anxiously, fighting the urge to get up and pace. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, what if he just made things worse for Hop? Telling the wrong people his worries would just end up backfiring… But he was telling Leon, the former champion! Raihan knew Leon, he was a good person who cared deeply about his loved ones, and adored his baby brother if the way he talked about the boy was any indication. Leon had told Raihan many times how he wished he had more time to spend with Hop, but being Champion had kept him too busy to visit more than a handful of times a year. 

That was why Raihan believed that Leon didn’t know, that he was ignorant to his precious brother’s pain. Leon was better than the assholes that ignored what was happening around them, his mum was just good at hiding what she did. That’s why it took Rai so long to realize, because she hid her actions and Hop’s pain so well. So wrapped up in his thoughts, Rai didn’t notice another presence near him until he was tapped on the shoulder, causing him to yelp and jump to his feet in fright, whirling around with wide eyes.

Leon cocked his head to the side, a brow raised curiously at the dragon tamer’s actions. “You okay Rai? Look like you’ve had a run in with a Ghastly or something.”

“Leon-!” Raihan put a hand over his heart, taking a slow breath and shaking his head, “Arceus mate, don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“...Did you not hear Char land?” Leon rolled his eyes with a laugh, “Losing your touch, oh fierce dragon?”

“Look, I was… Lost in thought.” Raihan grumbled, crossing his arms with a frown. How would he even bring this up? He’d called Leon to the top of the Hammerlocke stadium to talk but… He didn’t have any real proof and Hop… Hop wasn’t likely to say anything on his own, or even when confronted… Raihan began chewing on his lip and tapping his fingers against his arm, “Leon I… I have something important to talk to you about and... And I don’t know if… I need you to trust me, alright?”

He met Leon’s gase, seeing the confusion and concern shimmer in those beautiful golden eyes. Leon reached out and put his hand on Raihan’s arm, nodding a bit, “Of course Rai, you’re my best mate, I trust you with my life. What’s wrong? I haven’t seen you this worked up in ages.”

“..I think… I think someone might be hurting Hop.” Raihan whispered, searching Leon’s face for any sign of… That he had already known. The shock that appeared and the way Leon yanked his hand back as if he had been burned told Raihan that Leon hadn’t known, “I heard him crying and when I went to ask he… He looked scared and… He told me it was just a Pokemon or the wind but, I heard glass shatter and… Leon, I… I heard your mum call him-”

“Stop. Stop right there, my mum would never-” Leon’s face was contorted in disbelieving anger as he shook his head, taking a step away from Raihan.

“Leon she called him a fucking cunt!” Raihan grabbed his arm, holding the ex-champ in place, “I know what I heard, and I heard her _hurt_ him, Leon! I heard a thud and-” He was cut off by a harsh shove, making him stumble back a bit, sitting the stone wall behind him.

Leon's eyes had narrowed into thin slits, and a rare snarl twisting his face as he lowered his voice in a way that made Raihan shudder for all the wrong reasons, "Not every family is as fucked up as _yours_ Raihan. Talk about my mum like that again, or even think about going near my baby- brother, again," There was an odd pause between those words but Raihan didn't have the brain capacity to think about it while Leon was in his face, "And I'll get you banned not only from Galar's League, but have your Trainer's License permanently revoked in _all_ regions. Do you understand me, _Han?"_

It was the nickname that did it, that made Raihan's heart stop and his pupils dilate in terror. That name. That _fucking name_ , that had been used every single time his father had _apologized_ for his _misguided behavior,_ because he hadn't meant it, he never _meant_ it.

Raihan didn't register Leon storming away as he fell to the ground, holding his head in his hands and gripping his headband tight enough to tear it. It had been a gift from his gram, the only member of his family that had ever given a damn about him and he cherished it more than anything else in the world, but at that moment… At that moment he could barely sense anything but the way his heartbeat pounded in his ears, the black spots dancing in his vision. Everything was suddenly so loud, anf the way his hoodie, usually comforting and soft, scratched against his skin _hurt,_ he couldn't breath, couldn’t see, couldn’t think-

“Baby boy. Hey, look up little dragon, look at me.” A voice cut through the haze, and Rai whimpered, so loud too loud too much **_STOP IT GO AWAY_ **\- “Rai, hey. My pretty little dragon, can you tell me five things you can see right now?” The voice was softer, kinder, less grating, “Just five things, anything, please Rai.”

Rai managed to lift his head a bit, his eyes darting around frantically. This voice was being so nice, he needed to listen, “O-Orange, g-grey, blue, r-red um....W-White.”

“That’s good Rai, so good. Can you tell me four things you can touch?”

“H-Hoodie, g-gram’s bandana… S-Stone, t-tears.” Rai wiped his eyes, sniffling a bit as he blushed from the praise. He really wanted to be good, this voice was so nice to him.. Familiar and warm.

“Great job baby boy, almost done. How about three things you can hear?” 

“The wind… Your voice and… flapping?” Raihan was confused about that last one, but he didn’t want to be distracted from the voice, so he shrugged it off. Probably just a pokemon.

“Halfway done, good job pretty dragon.” The voice chuckled. Oh. That was.. Faf, Rotom must have called him when Rai’s attack started. Raihan turned when he heard something land behind him, relaxing when he saw Faf’s hydreigon, his brother sliding off it’s back and kneeling in front of him, “Two things you can smell.”

“Hydreigon fur and your gross ass cologne.” Raihan smiled weakly, making Faf roll his eyes.

“You love my cologne. Now,” Faf pressed a soft kiss to Rai’s lips, wiping the last of his tears from his face, “One thing you can taste.”

“You.” Raihan sighed and wrapped his arms around Fafnir tightly, burying his face in his brother’s neck, “Thanks Faf.”

“Always here for you, Rai.” Faf sighed and rubbed his back gently, “You wanna tell me what happened? Been a while since you had an attack that bad.”

“Just… It’s…” Raihan gripped Faf’s jacket tightly, “I-I think… Someone’s being hurt and… I tried to get him help but… But Leon didn’t _believe me_ and he… H-He called me H-Ha-”

“Hey.” Fafnir pulled away enough to look Rai in the eyes, brushing away the tears that were forming, “He called you that name? Are you sure?” Rai nodded, watching as Faf’s eyes darkened with anger, “That fucking _bastard_ , I’ll kill him-!”

“Faf, no!” Raihan gripped his arms tightly, knowing that Faf was serious. He could, and would, kill Leon without a second thought, “Please don’t- Don’t do anything rash, it’ll make things worse for.. For Hop.”

“...That’s his brother, right?”

“Yeah… Let’s… Let’s go to my place, I’ll make some tea and… And tell you what happened.” Raihan sighed and rose to his feet, his legs shaking slightly. Faf stood and put his arm around Rai’s waist, helping him back inside. This was going to be a long conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to Dimension_K166 and awfuloffal for letting me use Faf! If you haven't read their fic, You Are What I Take, like me but i'm an idiot, go read it! These are two awesome writers and I adore them bunches!!


	5. Clash of Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon has a run in with Faf, meets a boy afraid of storms, and has some time with Hop.

Leon couldn't fucking believe that Raihan would try to say that his family, his _mother_ was anything like that abusive asshole the gym leader had grown up dealing with. There was not fucking _way_ she would _ever_ lay a hand on Hop like that. Hop was just as important to her as Leon, just as loved, as spoiled. Admittedly the house didn't have very many pictures of Hop, or trophies, but Hop was camera shy and had never won something that would give him a trophy, or they'd share the spots on the walls and mantle.

The ex-champion nodded to himself as he made his way to his mum and Hops apartment… Or tried to. Because of fucking _course_ he would get lost inside a castle hes been in and explored dozens of times over the past ten years. Of. Fucking. Course. Leon growled and slammed the side of a clenched fist into the wall, blinking a bit when he heard a surprised squeak. He turned, golden eyes still dark with fury, and glared at a small… Person behind him. They looked familiar, but Leon didn't quite have the mental capacity to try and place a name to the face.

"Do you need something?" Leon tried to smile, but it came out as more of a twisted snarl.

"I-I-I was G-Gonna ask if Y-You were l-lost." The person gulped, taking a step back, "A-And see if I c-could help…"  
“...I was looking for the flat my brother and mother were given.” Leon forced himself to calm down. This was just a hatchery worker, Leon had no need to take his anger out on them. The person nodded slowly and turned, leading Leon through the winding corridors. They didn’t say anything, probably scared of pissing him off. Good. He wasn’t in the mood to chit chat with a fucking fan right now. He just wanted Hop, his Hop, his sweet baby boy. Just thinking about him calmed Leon down significantly… Until he remembered what Raihan had said.

If, _if_ anyone was ever hurting Hop, Leon would know and take care of it immediately. Hop would tell him, it was Leon’s job to take care of his brother, to love him and-

“U-Um.” Leon stopped, looking down at the person guiding him, they were blushing and trembling a little. Leon frowned, realization dawning when they flinched at a clap of thunder. Kyle! This was Kyle, the boy that was afraid of storms so he’d stay with Rai- han. Raihan. Leon offered a small smile, tilting his head in hopes of alleviating some of the kid’s fear.  
“Yeah? You okay there Kyle?” Leon made his voice as quiet and calming as possible, hoping that Kyle would see he wasn’t angry, at least not with him. They’d spoken exactly once, to Leon’s recollection, and Kyle had been very sweet through the whole interaction, if not a bit blushy and nervous.

“I-I um- EEP!” Kyle damn near jumped out of his skin at a particularly loud clap of thunder, followed by a bright flash of lightning, “N-Not good with st-storms… I was hoping to get to R-Rai’s before it started- AH!” 

Leon felt his heart ache slightly at the way Kyle clapped his hands over his ears, the man’s trembling reminding him a bit of Hop. He was just about to reach out and pull Kyle into a hug when a dark skinned hand clamped onto his forearm. Rage flared through Leon again when he whirled around, expecting Raihan, but before he could manage a snarl a fist cracked sharply against his jaw, enough strength behind it to cause Leon’s torso to twist sideways as he stumbled back. 

Leon quickly regained his senses as another fist met his gut, causing him to double over. He grabbed the green cald arm, growling as he looked up into maroon eyes so hate filled they also looked filled with blood.

“Who the absolute **_fuck_ ** do you think you are?!” Fafnir snarled, grabbing a fistful of Leon’s hair and yanking him back up to eye level before throwing him against the wall and pinning the ex-champ with an arm against his throat, “Do you even **_realize_ ** what you did to Rai?! His best mate my fucking ass, you **_know_ ** what that damned name does to him!”

“Get off of me, Fafnir.” Leon growled, attempting to break free of Faf’s hold. His struggles only earned him another blow to the gut, this time courtesy of the older man’s knee.

“That was _my baby brother_ you threw into an Arceus damned panic attack, you really think I’m going to let you off so easy you cowardly little bitch?!” Fafnir sneered, bringing back his fist for what looked to be a blow to Leon's nose, before Kyle launched himself up from where he was curled up on the floor, wrapping his arms tightly around Fafnir's waist.

"P-Please, st-stop!" Kyle whimpered, burying his face into Fafnir's back. Leon raised a brow as Faf actually paused, glancing down at the younger man in mild irritation.

"Back off, kid. This doesn't concern you." Fafnir's voice was cold, but not cruel as he spoke to Kyle, obviously trying not to take his anger out on an innocent bystander.

"R-Rai doesn't like n-needless violence-!" Kyle whimpered and clung to Faf tighter at another boom of thunder, "H-He won't like you f-fighting in the castle! E-Especially not Leon!"

Fafnir frowned and let out a heavy sigh, giving Leon an icy glare before moving away. Leon was surprised when Faf gently patted Kyle's arms, rolling his eyes at how quickly Kyle let go when he realized the fight was over.

"You're the kid Rai sent me to find, Kyle right?" Fafnir forced a small smile on his face, trying to make Kyle feel more at ease. It was bizarre, from Leon's point of view, as Fafnir had always been nothing more than a colossal ass to anyone but Rai, and even then he was never _nice_ , at least not that Leon could recall.

"H-He sent you to f-find me?" Kyle was trembling from the sounds of the storm raging outside, but Faf's nod appeared to calm him a bit, "O-Okay but… I-I was helping Leon get to his m-mum's…"

Leon watched in silence as Fafnir's eye twitched, something in them getting even darker, and he bit back a snarl. Of course Raihan had told those, those _lies_ to his brother, probably trying to make himself seem like the good guy. Fucking bastard, trying to ruin his family… Leon had thought they were friends, but apparently Raihan was so jealous of Leon, his success, his family, that he had to go spreading vicious slander.

"...Well it's only one floor up from Rai Rai's place, so I guess he can tag along." Fafnir grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at Leon, "That work for you, cock snot?"

"Do I have any other choice?" Leon scoffed, lifting his chin defiantly, "Let's just hurry so I don't have to be around you longer than necessary."

Kyle's eyes flickered between the older men for a moment, before grabbing onto Faf's arm as another crack of thunder shook the castle, "L-Let's hurry then."

Leon kept a few paces behind the two as they made their way through the castle, wondering when Fafnir had stopped being such a prick and stopped ignoring everything around him in favor of being safe. Leon recalled many nights, once Flygon had fully evolved, of Raihan coming to his house in the middle of the night, tears streaming down his face and fear in those vibrant eyes. Leon hadn’t known what to do, and Raihan always begged for him not to tell his mom, just to stay for a few hours. The older boy was always gone by morning, an apology note on Leon’s nightstand. 

Looking back now, Leon was horrified at the things he’d been too young to see. The bruises, the fear, the constant apologizing for everything little thing… Raihan’s home had been a prison, and his own a sanctuary. When they were somewhere around their early teens, Raihan had come with more bruises than ever. When Leon had asked, all Rai had told him was that Fafnir had left. Moved out, and left his baby brother behind, leaving him to face his father alone. Leon hadn’t known what that meant, but when he’d tried to ask more Raihan had clamped his mouth shut and smiled, saying that Leon had more important things to worry about than his stupid problems. Leon was fourteen before he brought the situation to Rose, fed up with seeing his friend so hurt and scared, and Rose had acted so fast it gave Leon whiplash… Raihan didn’t speak to him for nearly a year.

To this day Leon didn’t understand, he hadn’t done anything wrong by telling Rose, though he supposed he should have told his mum first seeing as Rose was not much better than Raihan’s father, but still. Raihan had gotten out of there, even if he was sent to live with Faf for two years. Looking at the man now, that must have been when things shifted, the years they had to be together. Something in the golden eyed man ached to know what happened, but a much larger, angrier part of Leon refused to care.

“L-Leon…” Kyle’s voice brought the ex-champ out of his thoughts, “W-We’re here…”

Leon hadn’t even noticed that they’d stopped walking, but he relaxed at the sight of Hop’s door. He turned to Kyle with a grateful smile, “Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

He chose to ignore Fafnir’s snort, watching the two head back to the staircase to head down to Raihan’s. Leon sighed, knocking on the apartment door and waiting. He chuckled at Hop’s frantic steps, probably hurrying to finish his chores before he opened the door. He’d always been such a diligent kid… Leon was glad his mum was out for the rest of the day, Leon had set her up with about six different appointments, then the dinner reservation. Leon smiled as Hop opened the door, blinking a bit at the slightly wary look on his brother’s face. What was that about…?

“Oh, Lee! You’re back sooner than I thought.” Hop breathed what sounded a sigh of relief, his bubbly grin sliding onto his face, “Did you finish whatever it was you had to talk to Raihan about?”

“It was nothing important.” Leon’s anger flared again as he moved past Hop, sliding off his shoes before gently pulling Hop into a tight hug once the door was shut, “He… Tried telling me some stupid lie… can you believe he thought that someone would hurt you?!”

He heard Hop inhale sharply, and pulled away to look at his brother, brows furrowed. Before he could take in the odd expression on Hop’s face, the boy yanked him down into a kiss, opening his mouth to allow Leon entry. Leon was beyond surprised, Hop wasn’t usually the one to instigate things like this but.... He groaned as Hop’s tongue slipped into his mouth instead, he wasn’t going to pass this up. Leon slipped his hands down to the back of Hop’s thighs, lifting him up and holding him close. Hop’s legs instantly wrapped around his waist, and the boy whined into Leon’s mouth needily. Leon hummed as their tongues danced, exploring the wet heat of Hop’s mouth as he carried the boy down the hall to his room.

Leon laid Hop down on the bed, smirking at how adorably flushed Hop’s face was. Leon let his hair form a curtain around them as he kissed along Hop’s jaw, enjoying his soft gasps at the contact, and slowly pushed up his brother’s shirt. Hop raised his arms to help toss it off, before using his nimble fingers to start undoing the buttons on Leon’s outfit, quickly pushing the jacket off his shoulders and getting to work on his shirt. Leon smiled as Hop’s hands slowly travelled up and down his chest, his eyes full of reverence and adoration for his brother, honey gold eyes dark with lust and want. Leon gently cupped Hop's cheek, bringing him in for a softer, slower kiss. Hop whined as they moved their lips in tandem, his hands sliding up to tangle in Leon's long purple locks and tugged him even closer. The ex-champion groaned and started to slowly rut against Hop's groin, shivering at the way their clothed erections rubbed against each other. 

Hop moaned against Leon's mouth and pulled away, his breath coming in quick pants as he moved his hands from the beautiful locks down to Leon's now too tight pants, fumbling with the button and zipper desperately, "Lee, Lee, I want you, please Lee, please let me ride you, please~"

"H-Hop, you're so eager… Whatever you want baby boy, anything for you." Leon moaned at the sheer thought, moving away to fully shed his jodhpurs and boxers before pulling off Hop's joggers and briefs in one motion. Leon adored the sight of Hop's fully naked body, so slender with barely any body hair, his dick fitting his small size perfectly with just a slight curve towards his stomach… Leon's mouth watered a bit as he leaned down and nipped at those plump thighs.

"Nng~ Lee~" Hop whined, trying to press his thighs together while he hid his face with his hands, "D-Don't stare…"

“I can’t help it love, you’re just so gorgeous…” Leon chuckled and gently held Hop’s thighs apart, leaning closer to light blow on his already twitching hole, “So delicious~”

“N-No, Lee, I w-want…. I want kisses…” Leon could hear the pout in Hop’s voice, tugging at his heart as he moved back over the blushing boy.

“Mm, I guess my fingers will have to work then. Lube in your nightstand?” Leon asked, already reaching over when Hop grabbed his wrist.

“I-I’ll do it… You work so hard Lee, I wanna… I wanna pamper you a little.” Hop's face became an even brighter shade of red, and Leon smiled as he flipped them so Hop was straddling his waist a bit.

“Okay sweet boy, I’m all yours.” Leon smiled, tilting his head a bit at the way Hop’s breath caught at his words. _Must be more excited than I thought…_

Leon gazed up at him, eyes half lidded and dark with lust as he watched Hop pour lube onto his hand and reach behind himself to work those slim fingers into himself, a soft whine coming from his throat. Leon loved the few times when Hop took initiative like this, letting Leon watch as his beloved baby boy took himself apart, readily to sink down onto him and moan out Leon's name as he fucked himself on his big brother's cock.

* * *

Hop didn’t like hearing that from Leon, those words that Raihan had said so kindly, they seemed… Tainted now, but Hop couldn’t let Leon find out that he was ruining their family. This was the only way Hop could think to distract him, letting lust filled sounds fall from his mouth as he worked to open himself up. They’d only went this far a handful of times before, but Hop still knew how loose he needed to be in order to take Leon without any pain. 

Not that Leon had ever forced him, ever hurt him. No, he always made sure to have Hop’s enthusiastic consent, or something similar to it anyway. He never knew that, while yes the sex itself was fairly enjoyable, Hop’s mind usually traveled elsewhere, wondering what would happen if he ever found the courage to end this… This farce of a relationship. Leon deserved to have someone who wanted him just as badly as the ex-champ wanted whoever he was with, not some sorry excuse for a human being who barely even knew what they wanted from life, let alone romantic endeavors.

Hop’s breath came in quick, sharp pants as he worked his fingers as deep into himself as he could reach, whining when he realized that his prostate was still just out of reach. He had hoped to have grown just slightly since last time, to make things like this easier. Oh well, even if he couldn’t reach that sweet bundle of nerves, it still felt pretty good to finger himself, nimble fingers working faster than Leon’s longer, thick ones… No, mind away from there, he was going to please and distract his big brother from everything, make him stop thinking about things.

Leon might have been a bit of an airhead, but he wasn’t a complete idiot, he was far more than just a pretty face or a battle maniac, and Hop knew that better than anyone. If he wasn’t careful to keep up his bubbly facade Leon would get suspicious, start piecing things together.

Hop was dragged from his thoughts when he felt a much thicker finger slip into his slick hole with his own, easily reaching deep enough to reach his prostate, ripping a loud moan from his throat.

“L-Lee~” Hop whimpered clapping a hand over his mouth, this wasn’t something her wanted Raihan hearing, under any circumstances. Leon smiled and sat up a bit, still gently rubbing the spot inside Hop that was making stars dance in the boy’s vision. The older brother used his free hand to move Hop’s hand from his mouth, cutting off any protests or sounds with another searing kiss. Hop nipped at Leon’s tongue lightly, a bit miffed by his interference, but enjoying the sensations too much to really complain. The feeling of Leon’s tongue gliding along his own, his fingers and Leon’s working to open him up, gently rubbing his prostate and drawing needy sounds from his throat; it felt amazing. It was times like this were the warmth in his chest from being around Leon exploded into a fire, overtaking his body with desire and need.

He was ready, he wanted something more inside him, something bigger, longer… Withdrawing his fingers and tugging Leon’s hand away, Hop slowly stroked Leon’s arousal with his slick hand positioning himself and slowly sinking down onto that amazing dick, groaning at the stretch. Leon was so big, there was always a slight burn in the beginning, one that would just serve to sharpen the pleasure that came from bouncing in Leon’s lap. Hop was to the point now that he knew just how to move to get himself off, bringing Leon over the edge with him every time.

Hop started his movements slow, making sure to pace himself and build a steady rhythm that wouldn't give him a limp later. It wasn't long before he was using Leon's cock as a living dildo, feeling it stretch his tight hole long, good, and hard. He’d fuck himself until his gasps were raw and throat dry, barely enough thought to keep his voice low for fear of Raihan hearing them. This made him come undone to completion, clamping his teeth down into his bottom lip to keep from screaming. He whimpered softly as he felt Leon grip his hips, thrusting deep into his already sensitive hole and moving Hop up and down to meet his thrusts. Hop whined and leaned down to bury his face in Leon's neck as he felt the ex-champ's hips stutter, filling him up with warm, thick cum.

"Hop-! Fuck you're so good, sweet boy~" Leon placed sweet little kisses along Hop's shoulders, unaware of the way the boy was grimacing at the term of endearment. He really,  _ really _ hating hearing those two little words from Leon's mouth. They weren't meant to be used so lustfully… 

Hop just gave Leon a tired smile as he slid off, plopping down beside him and allowing a muscular arm to pull him into a gentle cuddle. Hop closed his eyes as Leon began tracing small circles on his side before moving to his back, callused fingers lightly moving over sex slicked skin. It was nice, sweet even if Hop was being honest. Leon may have been a bit deluded about what everything really was but he was kind, caring in a way Hop never got from anyone else in their family. What a twisted person Hop was, to use his big brother's taboo love for his own selfish comforts…

Hop hissed in pain and jerked away as Leon's hand moved up to his hair, unknowingly pressing against the large bump on the back of Hop's head.

"Hop? What happened, are you okay?" Leon sat up, quickly moving his hands away, leaving them hovering awkwardly around Hop as he sat up too.

"M'fine Lee, I just hit my head the other day, still smarts a bit." Hop laughed, bright and teasing, "What, did you think I fucked you hard enough to give myself a concussion?"

"Smartass… Here let me see." Leon started trying to gently turn Hop around, but he just stubbornly batted Leon's hands away and crossed his arms.

"I'm fine Lee, you worry too much." Hop mumbled, his anxiety crashing back over him. He was good at hiding pain, turning flinches into sweet trembling when Leon brushed and press on the bruising on his back, he'd just been too sensitive, too distracted to stop himself from reacting when Leon touched that spot on his head.

"Maybe, but it's because I love you, now turn around and let me see." There was an edge to Leon's voice that Hop had never heard before, a fear in his big brother's eyes that Hop didn't recognize. He frowned and shook his head, watching in a mild fascination as Leon started to turn a bit pale.

"Lee, I'm fine, I promise just-" Hop yelped when those strong arms grabbed him, firmly turning him around so that Leon could see-

"Oh my Arceus." The quiet, yet absolute horror present in Leon's voice was something that Hop had so, so desperately wanted to avoid. The young professor sighed and yanked himself away from Leon and off the bed, wrinkling his nose as cum dripped down his leg.

"Hop how did- What hap-"

"Don't make me answer that." Hop snapped, his facade dropping. His shoulders drooped as exhaustion suddenly crashed over him. He raised a hand to pinch the bride of his nose, eyes close as Leon opened his mouth to argue, "You either won't like the answer or you won't believe it, so don't make me answer."

Before anything else could be said Hop ducked into his bathroom and locked the door. He slipped into the shower, turning the water to it's hottest setting before sinking to the floor and letting the tears fall free. It had finally happened, he lost control of his mask and let it shatter.

Hop had just ruined his family and he didn't know if he could ever fix it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... I'm sorry that this is super later coming out. A lot of stuff has happened, in the world and personally, and it's just been hard to find the drive to really sit and write.  
> I tried my best to make this chapter a bit longer, and I hope it reads okay! Smut is not my forte, heh...  
> I understand if not really anyone has much interest in this trainwreck anymore, but hopefully the next chapter won't take so long!  
> Hope y'all are doin well! Stay safe, yeah?


	6. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raihan has a talk with Leon in the rain.

Raihan stared out the window, watching the storm rage on as Kyle and Faf cuddled in his bed. He'd been laying with them, dozing in and out of awareness as he calmed down from his panic attack earlier. The rain helped, he usually found storms calming and loved when thunder shook the castle and made him feel small. He spent so much time being conscious of his &eight, of how his build could terrify others that feel like a tiny part of the world was nice sometimes. Still, he was fine with helping Kyle through them when Piers couldn't stay home with him, busy with concerts and such these days.

Right now, as he walked out onto the balcony and closed his eyes, tilting his head up to the storm, he felt numb. Which, he knew was horrible and all in all he hated it, but it was better than crying or panicking, at least to him. He despised feeling like he couldn’t smile, and he knew that if he did it would just feel fake but… It was fine, he’d pretend if he needed to. Fake it till ya make it, his inner motto. It’d worked while he’d lived with Father, it’d work now. Probably.

Raihan blinked as he heard a sliding door open, footsteps stumbling onto wet wood. He’d left his food open so… He looked over, to the balcony belonging to Hop’s apartment. Theirs connected to the living room while his was in his bedroom putting them diagonal to each other. Raihan couldn’t really see who it was that had come out, but he watched anyway, wondering if he’d be yelled at again. Leon was pissed and thought he was a liar, and Hop… Hop would know he’d betrayed his confidence. Rai knew that Hop hadn’t told him anything, or made him promise to stay quiet but… It was still something he wanted to be secret and Raihan had just up and run his mouth to the one person Hop had probably desperately tried to hide the truth from. Raihan sighed heavily and pulled his headband down, letting it rest around his neck as the rain started coming down harder. He was just as bad as Leon, in a way. Telling a secret when not asked to, how hypocritical of him.

He closed his eyes again, only to snap them open when he heard sniffling, barely noticeable through whitenoise of the rain. The sniffling turned to full on sobs, and Raihan recognized the voice then, a voice he had only heard like this twice in his entire life. Once when Mr. Dande died, and then when Leon had lost for the first time in over a decade… Raihan couldn't bear listen to him in pain, even now.

"Leon? What happened, why are you crying?" Raihan called out, just loud enough to where he was sure the other man would hear him, but not enough to wake Faf from his sleep. That wouldn't turn out well, Raihan knew. Faf was still pissed about what Leon had said to Raihan, and given the chance Faf would most definitely beat the shit out of the ex-champ.

Raihan frowned as he heard Leon choke on a sob, slowly walking to the edge of the balcony and peering down at the taller man. Raiahn knew he probably looked pathetic right now, his locs hanging around his face, soaking wet and probably shivering from the rain, a half dead look on his usually cheerful face. Though, Leon didn’t look much better. Something akin to horror was engraved deep into the golden eyes that Raihan had come to adore, his long purple mane sticking to him from being out in the rain for just a few seconds, tears mixing with the water streaming down his face.

“R-Rai…? Why’re- Why’re you out in the rain?” Leon sniffled, avoiding Raihan’s question while refusing to look the dragon tamer in the eyes. Raihan just shrugged, leaning against the railing and looking out over the city.

“Can’t feel anything right now, the storm helps me… Feel human, I guess.” Raihan had never really explained this before, let alone to Leon who he always had a feeling wouldn't understand what he meant.

“Why wouldn’t you feel human…? What do you mean, ‘can’t feel’?” As expected, Raihan could hear the confusion in Leon’s voice, he didn’t need to turn around to know that his brows were furrowed in that way they did when he couldn’t figure something out.

“Exactly what I said. Panic attacks tend to sap away energy, energy to move, to feel… To be me.” Raihan shrugged again, closing his eyes again, “I’m…. Numb. everything feels far away… I know I’m probably sad, angry, more than likely hurt but… It feels like I’m deep underwater, and all my emotions are drifting away on a boat that I’m too far down to reach. Makes me… Not feel very human. The rain it… It makes me cold, I feel it hitting my skin and the thunder shaking my bones. It helps.”

“That… That sounds terrifying.” Leon’s voice was quieter, laced with guilt and a sorrow that Raihan didn’t like hearing from Leon. Leon was sunshine, light and warmth and safety. Always had been, to Raihan. Of course, Leon was a person and he was allowed to have feelings, good and bad, like everyone else, but hearing him so defeated… A sense of wrongness ran through Raihan, and he looked up at the man he thought he loved.

“It’s not your fault I’m fucked up, Leon. I’ll be fine, I just have to… Wait until I can feel again.” Raihan offered a tired smile, flinching when it seemed to have the opposite effect. Harsh, gut wrenching sobs fell from Leon’s mouth, causing him to fall to he knees and out of Raihan’s sight.

“I-I- am so, so  _ sorry _ Rai, I never- I never should have called you- I shouldn't have called you by that n-name, I should have- I should have  _ believed  _ you, I-I-” Leon choked on his sobs, gasping for breath in a way that concerned Raihan.

“...Hey, Leon, it’s okay. I get it, I do, it’s okay.” Raihan tried to comfort his friend, not knowing what to with the distance between them keeping him from wrapping his friend in a tight hug, “It’s a hard thing to believe, I know that, and harder when it’s coming from someone like me-”

“That’s why I should have believed it! It came from  _ you _ , you would never, ever l-lie to me, not abo-about th-thaaat!” Leon wailed, finally standing up so that he could look down at Raihan, “Y-You’re my- My best friend and I-I love you so,  _ so  _ much Rai-! How could- How could I hurt you- How could I hurt  _ both of you _ so much?!” 

Raihan blinked in mild surprise before shaking it off, Leon wasn’t in a proper state of mind, he loved Raihan as a friend, Rai knew that. Both of them… Raihan thought about the sounds he’d heard before he’d started playing music from his stereo, sounds of pleasure from both golden eyed brothers. He frowned and looked up at Leon, tilting his head a bit in his confusion.

“Leon, how did you hurt Hop?” Raihan pursed his lips, honestly scared of the answer he might receive. He and Faf had done… Things, the two years they’d lived together, things brothers shouldn’t do, but they didn’t care. They were the only people each other trusted, the only ones they could find comfort in after the shit show that Rose had brought down on their father. They still kissed a goofed around when they felt like it, so Rai couldn’t really judge Leon on that… So long as Hop had consented.

“I-I… I left him with her.” Leon whimpered, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes, “I  _ left _ him with her for  _ years _ . I never- I never saw-”

“You saw what she wanted you to see.” Raihan sighed, leaning against the railing again, “The worst of monsters have the best masks, Leon. My father, Rose… People only saw the faces they wanted to show. What’s important is what you do now, Leon. How you protect him  _ now _ .”

“What… What do I do?” Leon looked down at him, sniffling quietly. It seemed that most of his tears had stopped, allowing a smile to soften Raihan’s tired features.

“Get him away from her, and quietly. You’re the most powerful man in Galar now, Leon, you and Victor. Who, might know given how close he and Hop are.” Raihan took a moment to collect his thoughts, shoving his locs away from his face, “Take custody, set him up somewhere away from her. Hell, kick her back to Potswick and take him to Wyndon-”

“No.” Leon stopped him, biting his lip and looking away. Shame painted across Leon’s features, strands of purple hanging across his face, “Not… He won’t be happy with me, not really. I… I think he’s been…. Putting on his own mask, one that… One that i wanted to see.”

Raihan frowned and nodded slowly, “Well… He could try here in Hammerlocke, I’d give him a different apartment so that he wouldn't have to live in a place where he was hurt-”

“Can he stay with you?” Leon asked suddenly, looking at Raihan with big, hopeful eyes, “You… You  _ understand _ , you can help him-”

“That’s not how it works, Leon.” Raihan shook his head, “One person isn’t a support system, and I’m not a therapist.” He sighed heavily and looked up at the man who had a death grip on his heart, “...He can stay with me, but only if he wants to and agrees to start therapy. He’ll need it.”

“Thank you.” Leon’s shoulders sagged, the weight of the world off them as he gave Raihan a weak smile, “You really- You’re really amazing, Raihan.”

Raihan barked out a laugh, bitter and sad as he shook his head, “I’m not amazing, Leon. I’m broken and fucked up. Go talk to Hop.” 

“Rai-” Raihan could hear the concern in Leon’s voice, but he was so  _ tired _ , his emotions finally crashing back down on him as he turned away and headed back inside. That’s right, that’s why Leon could never love him. He wasn’t normal, he couldn’t feel things like normal people, his anger would overtake and consume him on bad days. He was fucked up and broken beyond repair.

Raihan smiled though, his eyes sad as he changed into warm, dry clothes, he hoped that he had been able to stop someone else from becoming like him. Hop deserved to be able to really smile, soft and comforting as moonlight after a harsh rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey! Finally sat down and got this done, hopefully it's decent lol. Hope you guys are well, have a great day!


	7. Moving Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hop moves in with Raihan and everything goes a bit lopsided.

Hop stared at Leon in disbelief, a million different thoughts flying through his head as he tried to process his brother's words. His legs gave out as he watched Leon turn and head into the living room to make a series of phone calls, landing heavily on the edge of the bed. Hop barked out a laugh that sounded more like a sob, clamping down hard on his bottom lip and tasting metal on his tongue. The golden eyed boy closed his eyes and forced a slow inhale through his nose, holding it for a few seconds before slowly releasing it through clenched teeth. He had thought- He had hoped that- That everything would be okay, it'd been nearly a week since Leon had found the bump on Hop's head and- Hop looked down at his hands and started counting off the facts he was given.

  1. He was going to be taken to a doctor later that day, to see the extent of his injuries.
  2. He was being taken out of his mother's custody and put into Leon's. 
  3. He wasn't going to live with either of them, no contact with his mother and minimal with Leon, at least for a while.
  4. He was going to be starting therapy- like a crazy person.
  5. Leon was going to have him move in with- with _Raihan_.
  6. Leon was ending their… relationship.



Hop has never felt like more of a failure in his life, even losing to Bede and Victor hadn't been this bad. He had finally done it, finally lost his grip on the small thread that held his world together, gave him worth. He'd ruined his family, with no hope of fixing it.

Hop didn't cry, he didn't have the right to. He felt numb as he methodically packed up his things, like he'd been sitting in the Tundra without his coat too long. A brief thought flits through his mind, of calling Vic and Glo, telling them what's happening and getting their advice.

_ Their pity _ . A voice in his head sneers,  _ That's the only reason they talk to you, they pity you. Poor brother of the ex-champion, so boring and useless. _

Hop refused to cry, even though he felt his eyes burn and his breath catch in his throat. This was his fault, he didn't deserve to cry and be more of a burden than he already was. It didn't take him too long to pack up, he didn't really have much aside from books and clothes. A few games and things for his Pokemon, but nothing really personal. The furniture was what had already been in the castle, the bedding as well. Hop didn't feel right taking the picture of Lee from his nightstand, so he left it there as he released his Rillaboom to help him move everything to the floor below.

When he exited his room, he was surprised to find Raihan and a man he knew of but had never met, the Champion before Leon and Raihan's older brother, Fafnir. Maroon eyes locked onto Hop and narrowed a bit, flicking up and down as he seemed to scan over Hop. 

Hop frowned and dropped his gaze to the floor, feeling judged and unwanted. Of course Fafnir didn't think much of him, he was a burden on his own family and now he was being dumped onto Fafnir's brother, who had already done so much for him. Hop chewed his lip and glanced up hesitantly, "I-I'm sorr-"

"You're tiny." Fafnir hummed as he walked past Hop into his room, picking up one of the heavier boxes with ease, "I kinda expected you to be like that jackass, all buff and shit."

"...Hop meet Faf, and ignore ninety percent of what comes out of his mouth." Raihan sighed heavily and shook his head as he gave Hop a… timid smile. Hop didn't like that, didn't like Raihan not being his cocky, loud self. His big grin or… the soft smile Hop had caught on his face a few times suited the dragon tamer so much better.

"Nice to meet you…" Hop put on his own smile, wide and bright as he turned to Fafnir, "Sorry for the trouble, you don't have to-"

"Knock the fake ass smile off your face kid, ain't here for that shit." Fafnir deadpanned, and Hop froze as he stared up at him, "You're hurting and that's fine, if anyone understands that s'me and Rai. Feel what your feelin', don't put on a mask 'round us, got it?"

"I…" Hop didn't know what to say, and dropped his gaze again as shame welled up in him, "I'm sorr-"

"You haven't done anything wrong Hop, please don't apologize." Raihan shot his brother a look as he grabbed a few boxes of his own, "Faf is pushy, but he's right. Just… Try not to force yourself to smile when you don't feel like it around us… Emotions are hard so I get why you want to hide them, but you don't have to. Okay?"

Hop frowned and held the box in his arms tighter, feeling crushed by their… by their blatant  _ pity. _ He felt his lip wobble and tears prick his eyes again, he was such a fucking  _ burden _ to everyone around him, it was no wonder Leon didn't want him around, why his own mother didn't love him-

"Hop, hey, Hop can you hear me?" Teal eyes appeared in his line of sight, causing him to jump and take a step away. Raihan frowned and moved back a bit, giving Hop space, "I'm sorry Hop, we weren't trying to overwhelm you… Do you.. What has Leon told you, about all this?"

"He… That I'm not living with mum anymore, and that I have to start therapy." Hop whispered, turning his face into the fur of his jacket, trying to hide his shame.

"Did he tell you why?" Raihan sounded upset, disappointed almost. Hop shook his head slowly, but words started tumbling out of his mouth anyway.

"B-Because I ruined everything. I fucked up and now he doesn't- He doesnt want me around anymore-" The dam finally broke and Hop fell to his knees, dropping the box in his hands as he clutched at his hair, "I messed up- I'm not- not good enough and now he knows it and he h-hates me-"

Warm, large hands gently eclipsed his own and pried them away from his hair. Hop looked up, vision blurry from his tears and lips trembling from the torrent of emotions finally breaking out.

"Why can't anyone love me…?" Hop whispered, desperate for any answer.

But he knew. He knew why. He was a mistake, a broken fucked up mistake that never should have existed.

* * *

Raihan felt a frown tug at his mouth, rage and sorrow pulling his heart down to his stomach like heavy stones. He looked down into water filled golden eyes and wondered, was this how he looked when he had been dropped on Fafnir's doorstep years ago? Rai didn't know, and he was glad he had Faf with him now as well, because his brother was much better at this than he was.

"Hey, hey Hop right?" Fafnir crouched down, taking Hop's hands from Raihan's and rubbing some warmth into them, "Hop, can you take a big breath for me? In through your nose, good just like that, now hold…. Out through your mouth, slowly." 

Raihan watched as Hop slowly followed Fafnir's instructions, calming down considerably after a few more breaths and trying to pull his hands away. Faf kept a firm, but gentle grip on the boy's hands and raised a brow.

"Nah, you're still in panic mode. Now, because I know your brain is bein' a special kind of asshole to ya, I'm going to tell you this. I don't mind helping you through this I don't feel obligated or like it's a burden." Fafnir's eyes stayed locked on Hop's, and Raihan watched a tiny bit of clarity return to the younger's eyes, "Yeah I don't know you, but my little dragon cares for ya so I do too, and I take care of people I care for. Get me?"

"I…" Hop's voice was raw and thick with emotion, disbelief apparent in his eyes.

"Now, Rai and me are gonna help ya get your stuff moved, and then we're gonna order out for whatever your favorite food is and then watch some movies till we pass out. Cool?" Faf gave a crooked grin as Hop heistantly nodded, and Rai relaxed a bit. Even if they were adults now, Fafnir was still an amazing brother that Rai could always depend on.

The rest of the move was fairly uneventful, though Rai supposed it helped that they were only moving from one floor to another. He couldn’t help the way his heart sank at seeing just how little Hop really owned, or at least that he was attached to. When neither Faf nor Hop were looking, Rai snagged the picture that Hop had been trying to leave behind. He knew that even though all this stung and hurt beyond words now, that the younger man would eventually heal enough to want the photo again. Raihan still didn’t really know what was going on between Hop and Leon, but when he texted Leon later that night saying Hop was officially set up in his guest room, he added one more condition to their agreement. 

Leon had to start therapy too. Raihan had a sinking feeling that his former best friend needed it as badly as the boy making a confused face at simple kindness.

They ordered takeout, as promised, though Hop tried to give the name of a place that Raihan knew was Leon’s favorite instead of his own, and Raihan made a discreet text to Victor to see if the young Champion had any ideas, as he was one of the few people that knew Hop’s circumstances. It was a good thing he did, Victor wrote out a full three paragraphs of things Hop liked that he wouldn’t willingly admit too, as well as sending him Hop’s clothing and shoe sizes for a later shopping trip. As it was, Raihan was quietly putting in an order to a Kantonian place in Motostoke that served the spiciest curry in all Galar, much to his surprise. Leon hated spicy things, preferring greasy and salty foods, while Hop apparently loved food that would burn his tongue off. Raihan thought that their contrasts in taste was cute, and he hoped that what he had done wouldn’t upset Hop too badly… He had yet to have a moment to apologize for breaking his trust in the first place, and the dragon tamer was truly starting to dread it.

“Alright, food should be in here in about an hour.” Raihan smiled kindly as he plopped down into his favorite chair as he looked over at his brother and his new… charge.

“Sweet, movie time.” Fafnir grinned and handed Hop the remote, “Youngest chooses first, kid.”

“Ah… I um, I don’t know many movies…” Hop muttered, not willing to meet either of their gazes. Fafnir hummed quietly and tapped out a short rhythm on his thigh.

“What about something sci fi? You’re a big nerd, right?” Usually when Faf teased someone, there was always a bite or a sneer in his tone, but Raihan was beyond grateful that this time, his voice was gentle and blatant in his joking, so that there could be no mistakes in his intention.

Hop blinked and looked over at the maroon eyed man with what seemed to be a small pout, “I’m a scientist-”   
  
“Which makes you a very big nerd, like miss heart hair." Fafnir chuckled and pulled up a random adventure movie about space travel in a bizarre world without pokemon, "Rai's a nerd too though, so don't let it bug you too much."

"Just because I didn't purposely not study and fail my exams like  _ someone _ doesn't make me a nerd." Raihan snorted, shooting Faf a narrow eyed half glare that held no heat. He regretted it the instant he saw Faf smirk, mischief glinting in his eyes.

"No, but knowing the dates and outcomes of all of Lance's battles throughout his entire career makes you a simp." Fafnir cackled, howling with laughter when Raihan's face turned a bright red.

"I- Shut up you asshole-!" Raihan squawked indignantly and threw a cushion at Faf's head, that of course he caught easily. Neither of them turned to the sound of quiet giggles from the couch between them, but they shared a brief smile before eventually settling down and watching the movie.

* * *

Fafnir left sometime after the fourth movie, leaving Hop and Raihan to straighten up after dinner. Hop had been surprised when the smell of spicy curry had wafted through the apartment after the delivery guy had arrived, his heart doing a weird little flip when Raihan had sheepishly admitted to asking Victor about his favorite food, then it had dropped when he realized how easily the gym leader had seen through his lie. He needed to be better, more careful, before he ruined things further.

Hop chewed his lip as he was shooed out of the kitchen while the older man rinsed the dishes, insisting that Hop was his guest and that guests don't do chores. He was so useless, unable to even repay someone helping him so much… Hop sighed and fidgeted with the sleeves of his jacket, noticing for that it was starting to get a tad too small along his arms. Hop frowned and stretched his arms out in front of him, watching with something like sadness welling up in his chest as the sleeves rode up to his forearms… This jacket was the last thing his father had given Leon, and Leon had passed it on to him when he'd outgrown it…

"Thing's about worn out, yeah?" Hop jumped and turned, startled by how close Raihan's voice was. He hadn't heard the man walk over.

"I… I guess so…" Hop mumbled, gaze dropping to the floor. Raihan gave a little huff as he walked by and settled back in the large chair he'd occupied earlier, gesturing for Hop to sit as well. Hop chewed his lip as Raihan seemed to examine him a moment before nodding, seemingly to himself.

"Alright, a couple things we need to talk about." Raihan's voice was gentle, maybe even hesitant as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he took a moment to find the words, "First thing should be an explanation, I suppose. How much to you know about my family, the Kibanas?"

Hop blinked a few times, brows furrowing as he finally met Raihan's gaze. Those gorgeous real eyes were filled with some kind of anxiety, like this was something Raihan hated talking about. 

"I… I know your brother was the Champion before Lee… And your mother the Champion before the one before him." Hop offered sheepishly, wondering what this had to do with anything. Raihan nodded and sighed heavily, his gaze falling to the floor.

"Guess it was before you were old enough to be aware of it… Most people don't talk about it anymore, about… About my Father." Raihan grimaced, hands clenching tight enough for his knuckles to go white. "Great trainer, my father. About the only great thing about him, really…" Raihan trailed off, lost in his thoughts.

"...If you don't want to talk about-"

"I don't, but I need to." Raihan sighed again, tugging his bandana over one eye, "...My mum died in childbirth, some kind of hemorrhage, I was too young to remember the details… The baby was lost too, too premature… Father fell apart after that, it was slow but… He turned cruel. Was never the best dad to begin with, but without mum…" The dragon tamer's voice turned sad, burdened with an old sorrow but tinged with an underlying anger, "We didn't tell anyone, Faf and I, what he was doing to us. How he hurt us. We were kids, we thought that we'd done something to make him angry… Took a long time to realize he was just a shit person."

Raihan paused and took a deep breath, looking at Hop sadly, "My gram tried to help us but she was old, couldn't take us without taking it all to court and who'd believe her over the Champion? She passed when I was eleven or twelve, and then Fafnir went on his Journey the next spring…. Then a month or so later, he won the Championship, and he didn't come home. Refused to. Used his new money to get a flat in Wyndon and blocked all contact… I don't blame him, didn't at first but I get it now. He was too young to take me with him, legally and emotionally. I started spending even more time with Leon, at your family's house… And he eventually found out what was happening, and, I begged him not to tell anyone, told him that everything was fine and it had all been an accident but… he told Rose and… It was in the papers by that Friday." Raihan gave a short, bitter laugh, "'Honored Champion Actually Abusive Parent'.... God the looks I got walking through town… At the time I thought the humiliation was worse than the beatings. I didn't talk to Leon for years."

Hop wanted to reach out, to say something, but he was stunned. Raihan, fearless, caring, loud and cocky Raihan had… He'd gone through something like that? Leon had never told him, neither had his mother… Hop had never heard anything about any of this, almost everything about the Champion before Fafnir was unknown, like it had been hidden away or something.

_ He's lying to make you feel better _ . That stupid little voice in the mack of his mind hissed,  _ He pitied you and wants you to think he doesn't. _

"Sounds stupid, doesn't it?" Raihan smiled sadly, and Hop hated that look so, so much, "I stopped talking to my best friend because he helped me out of a shit situation, and I've never apologized for it. I've talked to a lot of therapists, took a while to find a good one, and she told me I don't have to forgive him. He betrayed my trust and the whole world ended up looking at me in a way I didn't want to be seen, s'why I am the way I am. Always updating my Pokegram, always showing off that I'm handsome, strong, confident… All a facade so people will forget the scared little kid plastered on the papers all that time ago… Not that many people know about it now, Magnolia and Fafnir worked their asses off to make sure everyone forgot, Ness and Piers got into so many fights with reporters to get them to leave me alone... Melony and Kabu both helped us with anything, stopped by to make sure we were eating okay, had money for bills and such…"

Raihan stopped and smiled again, warmer this time, something full of fondness and peace. "Then the old Dragon gym leader took me under her wing, and until Alli came around I was the youngest gym leader in Galar history… It helped a lot with my self esteem, I think, but it had its drawbacks… A lot of my first interviews tried to get into my family life instead of my achievements, so I had a reputation for walking out on events." The older man laughed, then sighed softly and looked over at Hop, "There's a reason I'm telling you all this… I'm sorry Hop, I was the one who told Leon about… I was worried about you, but I should have tried talking to you about it before going to Leon and I am very sorry for that."

Hop frowned, blinking in surprise. He didn't understand, Raihan hadn't done anything wrong, if Hop had just been better-

"I also want to tell you that none of this is your fault. Some people are just bad parents, bad people." Raihan gently grabbed Hops hand and gave it a light squeeze, "I know you won't believe me when I say that, I didn't believe it for a long time either, but that is why you'll be starting therapy, which was my idea. Leon.. We talked a bit a few days ago and… This was the solution we agreed on. However, if you don't want to stay with me, I understand and I can reach out to Melony or Magnolia, I'm sure they'd be willing to give you a place to stay a while-"

"Raihan?" Hop's voice was much softer than he'd meant it to be, but Raihan closed his mouth immediately, waiting for whatever Hop had to say. Hop closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath before looking up at the dragon tamer, "I… This is a lot to take in. I'm… I'm not sure how to… Handle any of this I just… I'm tired and I'd like some time to myself. Can we talk about this some more another time?"

Hip waited for the outrage, the anger at not only interrupting but being ungrateful for all that had been done for him, but to his shock Raihan just nodded and gave his hand another squeeze, "Yeah, no problem Hop. You can stay out here or chill in your room, I'll finish up cleaning before heading to my office for some paperwork I've been putting off."

He smiled, soft and warm and kind before walking to the kitchen, and for the first time in ages Hop felt safe enough to let his guard down, just a little bit. Hop sighed and headed to the room Raihan was letting him use, not nothing to turn on the light as he curled up on the very comfortable bed and cried, the events and emotions of the day finally free to overwhelm him now that he was alone.

He hadn't been lying when he said he was tired, but it was more like complete exhaustion. He felt like his heart and mind had been torn out and bashed against walls all day. He was upset about all of this, and yet so, so grateful to finally be away from his mum. It was so confusing.

His family hated him so he wouldn't be around them anymore, Raihan pitied him so he'd be staying with the dragon tamer… Who was so kind and sweet and made Hop feel so  _ safe _ -

But Leon hated him. Hop didn't know if he loved Leon like Leon had said he loved Hop, but he did adore his big brother, his strength, his air headedness, his blinding smile…

Hop cried for a long time, quiet, muffled son's into a pillow that smelled like lavender and something spicy, and eventually drifted off into an uneasy sleep. 

Sometime later, he half woke up to someone gently covering him with a blanket and tugging off his jacket. Whispered words of pleasant dreams and a gentle hand through his hair sent him a world of sunlight lakes and kind, loud laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. Hi. Sup.  
> So. Been a minute. I've been having some uhhhh issues but I'm okay, hope you enjoy!  
> New twitter btw @just_sleepy_cat   
> :3

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hope ya like this little dollop of angst that's been bouncing around my head all day! I'm @aclockwork_cat on Twitter if ya wanna give me a follow! Kudos and comments are adored here!  
> Big thanks to prettydragonboy who basically gave me the one good paragraph in the smut part, I hope you enjoyed it~  
> The character Kyle belongs to @demiartwhore on Twitter, give him some love for letting me use his baby!


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